It was a case of third time lucky with Paul Clement following the disappointing tenures of Francesco Guidolin and Bob Bradley.

Despite the end-of-season revival, Clement has a huge job on his hands this summer.

So what needs to happen now?

Clement must take stock

Swansea City manager Paul Clement celebrates after the final whistle (Image: PA)

The head coach arrived in January with the club in dire straits. Four points adrift from safety, relegation looked pretty much nailed on. Although not officially in the dug-out, he made an immediate impact at Selhurst Park. His tenure has almost been a season within a season - ups and downs, twists and turns. These players (and indeed the fans) will be mentally and physically exhausted.

While they are packing their sun cream and flip flops next week, you can bet your house on Clement doing the opposite. The former Derby boss will be putting down roots this summer and getting to work on next season’s blueprint. What will that entail? Moulding a squad to his own liking, setting out his plans for pre-season and identifying potential targets to pursue. One hopes he will be given free rein to work - he has earnt it.

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Despite maintaining their top-flight status, the vultures will be circling the Liberty this summer. Gylfi Sigurdsson, Swansea’s most prized asset, will be coveted by a number of sides in the Premier League and abroad. The club turned down interest from China in January. Everton and Newcastle are also sniffing around. Will Swansea play hardball?

Llorente and Sigurdsson have both been attracting interest

Fernando Llorente, whose goals kept Swansea in touch all season, is also likely to attract suitors. Clement’s first job will be to persuade those two to give him another season, to have a full campaign under his tutorship. If he can’t, and those players have chosen to move on to pastures new, he and the club must work quickly to replace them.

One thing Swansea will not want is another Wilfried Bony situation, a protracted saga that had an adverse effect on the pitch before the Ivorian moved to Manchester City. No Swansea fan would criticise the club (on indeed Sigurdsson or Llorente, for that matter) if they were to leave; but what supporters will want is firm, decisive action, either way.

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Parachuted in on that January evening at Selhurst Park - ironically where Swansea’s future was determined at the weekend - Clement had little opportunity to bring in his own players. Tom Carroll, Martin Olsson and Jordan Ayew, all January recruits, were more than likely club signings who had, after all, been scouted by Huw Jenkins and Co on previous occasions.

This summer gives the head coach an opportunity to evaluate his squad outside the pressures of the campaign. If he wants to make acquisitions this summer - which is more than likely - he will have to sift through his playing staff to generate funds. Likely outgoings include Bafetimbi Gomis and Franck Tabanou (remember him?), while question marks remain over the futures of record signing Borja Baston, Jordi Amat, Modou Barrow, Kristoffer Nordfeldt and Mark Birighitti. There are a number of promising players in the youth-team ranks; it will be interesting to see who gets an opportunity to impress this summer.

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The legendary Frenchman joined Swansea’s staff just after Clement, and his influence on this squad cannot be underestimated. Jack Cork said earlier this season that Makelele had been a huge help on the training field. He said: “It’s great to have someone like that here at Swansea, I trust him and know when he talks he is telling you because he has done it. Any advice he gives you, you want to follow it.”

Makelele signed a contract at the Liberty until the end of the season. Clement and Jenkins would be wise to address that quick sharp.

Keep Britton at the club, in whatever capacity

Swans fans were screaming for months for Leon Britton’s calming influence on the field; eventually Clement listened. But not before the club stalwart had played a key role off the pitch, helping to foster a sense of unity and togetherness amongst the players during a difficult spell. In a recent interview Britton, who is doing his coaching badges at present, said he wanted to stay at the club in some capacity. He still has a year to run on his contract, and has shown over the past few weeks he still has a great deal to offer. But when he does decide to hang up his boots, his services must be retained. Swansea must not let this legend leave.

Leon Britton (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

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Swansea’s financial stature means they cannot dine at the top table when it comes to bringing in players. They have pulled off some sensational signings during their Premier League tenure - see Michu, Bony and Alfie Mawson.

On the flip side there have been mistakes made - something which American majority owners Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien acknowledged at the Supporters’ Trust fans’ forum earlier this year. Levien said at the time: “There have been stumbles along the way in the last 18-24 months, transfer windows have not been as successful as before. Steve is working on ensuring best practice is put in place to tighten up that process. We have added new voices to the process in terms of statistics and analytics as well as old fashioned methods such as scouting.”

The appointment of Dan Altman and the use of analytics will be key this summer, especially after a number of recruits failed to hit the heights. More misses than hits in recent windows? Probably.

Will Clement be heavily involved in the recruitment process? You would hope so. Will he look to his previous clubs, to perhaps give a youngster he has worked with in Paris, Madrid or Munich a chance in SA1? Whatever, Clement needs the opportunity to bring in his own players. If signings of the calibre and attitude of Carroll, Olsson and Ayew can be replicated, Swansea should make progress.